1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electric lighter, and more particularly, to an electric lighter which installs a rechargerable battery therein and if the supply of a charging current stops due to the cut-off of external power, heats a hot wire by the discharging of the rechargerable battery, to be thereby ignited.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Lighters are generally classified into an oil lighter, a gas lighter, an electric lighter, etc. In more detail, the oil lighter is constructed in such a manner that an additive is mixed into a volatile oil and a wick connected to the mixture is thus ignited by means of a lighter stone.
The gas lighter is constructed in such a manner that the gasified gas by the use of a liquefied gas is ignited by means of a lighter stone or an electronic gun which generates a momentary high voltage.
On the other hand, the electric lighter is widely used as a cigar lighter installed in a vehicle, which is constructed in such a manner that a high voltage is applied to a resistant body such as, for example, a filament and a heat source is thus supplied by the operation of the resistant heat generated from the resistant body.
Since the oil lighter and gas lighter are used in the state where the flame is formed upwardly in view of the characteristics of the structure and fuel thereof, however, there occurs a problem that if they are to be used in a downward direction or in an area where the use of firearms is restricted, they can not be freely used.
Therefore, in the area where the direction of the position to be used or the use of firearms is restricted, for example, in the automobile during running, it is convenient to use the electric lighter.
However, since a conventional electric lighter heats the hot wire by the ignition operation and, after completion of the heating for a predetermined time, is used during the heating of the heated hot wire without any supply of power, there still are some problems in that the usable life is short and a heat expansion volume is enlarged to prolong the heating maintaining time of the hot wire, which results in the increment of a preheating time.
Specifically, in case of the cigar lighter used in the automobile, it should be used within the heating maintaining time during the running, such that the limited time of the heating maintaining time becomes an obstacle to the safety running. At this time, instead of using the cigar lighter attached to the vehicle, most of drivers use a general portable lighter. Unfortunately, this may cause an unexpected explosion of the portable gas lighter due to the increment of an internal temperature of the vehicle in summer.